For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
تلاشِ حق ۔ شاہد
ہے تیری ذات بھی کہ نہیں جانتا نہیں
جانے بغیر کر لوں یقیں مانتا نہیں
تو ہے اگر تو فکر و نظر تیری دین ہے
مصرف کروں نہ اِس کا تو پھر کُفرِعین ہے
ربّی زِدنی علماً میں اُٹھے جب کبھی یہ ہات
مطلق یقین ہو نہ سکا، ایسے تھے سوالات
بُنیاد جستجوُ کی سوال اور شک پہ ہے
ہونے پہ تیرے شک جو کرے، راہِ حق پہ ہے
حوُروں کی حِرص سے تو دیانت ہوئی نہیں
دوزخ کے ڈر سے کر لوں یقیں یہ بھی حق نہیں
تو ہے اگر جو آؤں مقابل میں روزِ حشر
کہنا پڑے گا تجھ کو کہ جوُیا تھا یہ بشر
روشن ہو تجھ پہ جُستجوُ پیہم میری اگر
کہہ دے گا تو بھی ضِدّی و مُنکر تھا یہ مگر
اندھا یقین ورثہ میں ہرگز نہ تھا قبول
تحقیق و فِکر و حجّت و منطق کا تھا اُصول
پہنچا جہاں جہاں بھی اُسے ذہن لے گیا
ظنّ و قیاس و شک نہ یقیں میں بدل گیا
پردہ گِرا جو علم و فہم پر غبار کا
اُٹھے سوال جِن کا نہ کوئی جواب تھا
ناپختگی کو علم کی وقتی ہی جان کر
آگے قدم بڑھایا وہ پردے کو پھاڑ کر
ہمّتِ کفر بھی تھی، جراؑتِ اِنکار بھی تھی
سِرِّ نہانِ عشق کی اُس کو تلاش بھی تھی
اعمال نیک و بد تھے وہی جو سبھی کے ہیں
عاشق تلاش کا تھا وہ، یہ سب یقیں کے ہیں
معمّہ یہ شک و حق کا تو سلجھا نہ کبھی ہے
حق کی تلاش خود بنے منزل، یہی حق ہے
جستجو اور بھی ہے، اِمتحاں اور بھی ہیں
“سِتاروں سے آگے جہاں اور بھی ہیں”
तलाश-ए हक़ – शाहेद
है तेरी ज़ात भी के नहीं, जानता नहीं
जाने बगै़र कर लुं यक़ीं मानता नहीं
तू है अगर तो फ़िक्र ओ नज़र तेरी देन है
मस्रफ़ करूँ न इसका तो फिर कुफ़्र-ए एैन है
रब्बी ज़िद्नी इल्मन में उठे जब कभी ये हात
मुत्लक़ यक़ीन हो न सका, ऐसे थे सवालात
बुनियाद जुस्तजू कि सवाल और शक पे है
होने पे तेरे शक जो करे वो राह-ए हक़ पे है
हूरौं कि हिर्स से तो दियानत हुई नहीं
दोज़ख़ के डर से कर लूं यक़ीं ये भी हक़ नहीं
तू है अगर जो आऊं मुक़ाबिल मैं रोज़-ए हशर
कहना पड़ेगा तुझ को के जूया था ये बशर
रौशन हो तुझ पे जुस्तजू पैहम मेरी अगर
कह देगा तू भी ज़िद्दी ओ मुनकिर था ये मगर
अँधा यक़ीन विरसे में हरगिज़ न था क़ुबूल
तहक़ीक़ ओ फ़िक्र ओ हुज्जत ओ मन्तक़ का था उसूल
पहुंचा जहां जहां भी उसे ज़हन ले गया
ज़न्न ओ क़ियास ओ शक न यक़ीं में बदल गया
परदा गिरा जो इल्म ओ फ़हम पर ग़ुबार का
उट्ठे सवाल जिनका न कोई जवाब था
ना-पोख़्तगी को इल्म कि वक़्ती ही जान कर
आगे क़दम बढ़ाया वो परदे को फाड़ कर
हिम्मत-ए कुफ़्र भी थी, जुर’अत-ए इनकार भी थी
सिर्र-ए निहान-ए इश्क़ कि उस को तलाश भी थी
आमाल नेक ओ बद के वही जो सभी के हैं
आशिक़ तलाश का था वो, ये सब यक़ीं के हैं
मो’अम्मा ये शक ओ हक़ का तो सुलझा न कभी है
हक़ कि तलाश ख़ुद बने मंज़िल, यही हक़ है
जुस्तजू और भी है, इम्तेहां और भी हैं
सितारौं से आगे जहां और भी हैं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed mohammed shahed (1944-living) came to urdu late in life, but early to skepticism, inquiry and unbelief. Irreverent and rebellious, he enjoys retirement and continuous learning. ‘talaash-e haq’ reflects his search and rebellion against received wisdom.
hai teri zaat1 bhi ke nahiN jaanta nahiN
jaane baGhair2 kar luN yaqiN maanta nahiN1.being 2.without
Your (god’s) being/person exists or not, I do not know. That I should believe without knowing, I cannot accept.
tu hai agar1 to fikr2 o nazar3 teri den4 hai
masraf5 karuN na iska to phir kufr6-e ain7 hai1.if 2.reason 3.vision 4.gift 5.use 6.denial, transgression 7.central
If you exist, then reason and vision are your gift. If I don’t use this gift, then it is a central/primary transgression.
rabbi zidni ilman1 meN uThe jab kabhi ye haath
mutlaq2 yaqin3 ho na saka, aise the savaalaat 1.a qur’aanic verse/prayer – ‘O lord, increase my knowledge’ 2.absolute, unquestioning 3.belief, certainty
Whenever these hands were raised in prayer, lord, increase my knowledge, certainty/belief could not become absolute/unquestioned in the face of many questions.
buniyaad1 justaju2 ki savaal aur shak3 pe hai
hone pe tere shak jo kare raah-e haq4 pe hai1.foundation 2.search 3.questioning and doubt 4.truthful path
The foundation of search rests on questioning and doubt/disbelief. They who question your existence are the ones on the right path.
hoorauN1 ki hirs2 se to diyaanat3 hui nahiN
dozaKh4 ke Dar se kar luN yaqiN5 ye bhi haq6 nahiN1.hoor/angels (of heaven) 2.greed 3.honesty, rectitude 4.hell 5.believe, accept 6.truth, right
Greed of hoor in heaven does not make for honesty/rectitude. Agreeing to believe out of fear of hell cannot be right.
tu hai agar1 jo aauN muqaabil2 maiN roz-e-hashr3
kahna paRega tujh ko ke juuya4 tha ye bashar5 1.if 2.face to face 3.day of judgement 4.seeker 5.human
If you (O god) exist and I am presented before you on the day of judgement, then you will have to admit that this was a man who searched for knowledge/truth.
raushan1 ho tujh pe justaju2 paiham3 meri agar4
kah dega tu bhi ziddi5 o munkir6 tha ye magar7 1.known 2.search 3.again and again 4.if 5.obstinate 6.denier 7.but
(When I am presented before you and) you become aware of how I constantly/repeatedly searched (for answers), you will say, ‘he was obstinate and denied (my existence) but ….’
andha yaqeen1 virse2 meN hargiz3 na tha qubool4
tahqiq5 o fikr6 o hujjat7 o mantaq8 ka tha usool9 1.blind belief 2.inheritance 3.under no conditions 4.acceptable 5.inquiry, search 6.reasoning, thinking 7.discussion, argument 8.logic 9.principles
‘… but he did not accept inherited blind belief under any conditions. His principle was to search, reason, discuss and used logic’.
pahuNcha jahaaN jahaaN bhi use zahn1 le gaya
zann2 o qiyaas3 o shak4 na yaqiN5 meN badal gaya 1.mind, reason 2.supposition, conjecture 3.guess, suspicion 4.doubt, uncertainty 5.certainty, belief
‘He went as far as reason could take him, but he did not change his conjectures, suspicions and uncertainty into belief’.
parda1 gira jo ilm2 o fahm3 par Ghubaar4 ka
uTThe savaal jin ka na koii javaab tha 1.curtain, obscurity 2.knowledge 3.understanding 4.dust, fog, confusion
When a curtain of fog/confusion dropped on knowledge and understanding, a host of questions arose to which there were no clear answers.
na-poKhtagi1 ko ilm2 ki vaqti3 hi jaan kar
aage qadam4 baRhaaya vo parde ko phaaR kar1.immaturity, incompleteness 2.knowledge 3.time bound, temporary 4.steps
Knowing that immaturity/incompleteness of knowledge were temporary (could be overcome by learning), he ripped the curtain (of ignorance/confusion) and took a few steps forward.
himmat-e-kufr1 bhi thi, jur’at-e-inkaar2 bhi thi
sirr-e-nihaan3-e ishq4 ki us ko talaash5 bhi thi1.courage to deny 2.daring to refuse 3.hidden secret 4.(universal) love 5.search
He had the courage to deny, dared to refuse and still searched for the hidden secret of universal love. This she’r has echoes of and pays a tribute to faiz ahmed faiz. See his ‘dua’.
aamaal1-e nek2 o bad3 the vahi4 jo subhi ke haiN
aashiq5 talaash6 ka tha vo, ye sub yaqiN7 ke haiN1.actions 2.virtue 3.vice 4.same 5.lover 6.search 7.belief
His actions, virtues and vices, were similar to those of others, except he was a lover of search, others of (blind) belief.
mu’amma1 ye shak2 o haq3 ka to suljha4 na kabhi hai
haq5 ki talaash6 Khud7 baney manzil8, yahi haq9 hai1.puzzle 2.doubt, skepticism 3.truth, certainty, belief 4.solved 5.truth, god 6.search 7.itself 8.destination, goal 9.right
The puzzle of the struggle between skepticism and belief can never be solved. It is right that the search for truth itself become the goal/destination.
justaju1 aur bhi hai, imtehaaN2 aur bhi haiN
sitaarauN ke aage jahaaN3 aur bhi haiN1.search 2.trials 3.worlds
This she’r is taken from iqbal and is used as a tribute to him. There is still much search remaining, there are many more trials and tribulations ahead. But there are many worlds beyond the stars.
syed mohammed shahed (1944-living) came to urdu late in life, but early to skepticism, inquiry and unbelief. Irreverent and rebellious, he enjoys retirement and continuous learning. ‘talaash-e haq’ reflects his search and rebellion against received wisdom.
hai teri zaat1 bhi ke nahiN jaanta nahiN
jaane baGhair2 kar luN yaqiN maanta nahiN
1.being 2.without
Your (god’s) being/person exists or not, I do not know. That I should believe without knowing, I cannot accept.
tu hai agar1 to fikr2 o nazar3 teri den4 hai
masraf5 karuN na iska to phir kufr6-e ain7 hai
1.if 2.reason 3.vision 4.gift 5.use 6.denial, transgression 7.central
If you exist, then reason and vision are your gift. If I don’t use this gift, then it is a central/primary transgression.
rabbi zidni ilman1 meN uThe jab kabhi ye haath
mutlaq2 yaqin3 ho na saka, aise the savaalaat
1.a qur’aanic verse/prayer – ‘O lord, increase my knowledge’ 2.absolute, unquestioning 3.belief, certainty
Whenever these hands were raised in prayer, lord, increase my knowledge, certainty/belief could not become absolute/unquestioned in the face of many questions.
buniyaad1 justaju2 ki savaal aur shak3 pe hai
hone pe tere shak jo kare raah-e haq4 pe hai
1.foundation 2.search 3.questioning and doubt 4.truthful path
The foundation of search rests on questioning and doubt/disbelief. They who question your existence are the ones on the right path.
hoorauN1 ki hirs2 se to diyaanat3 hui nahiN
dozaKh4 ke Dar se kar luN yaqiN5 ye bhi haq6 nahiN
1.hoor/angels (of heaven) 2.greed 3.honesty, rectitude 4.hell 5.believe, accept 6.truth, right
Greed of hoor in heaven does not make for honesty/rectitude. Agreeing to believe out of fear of hell cannot be right.
tu hai agar1 jo aauN muqaabil2 maiN roz-e-hashr3
kahna paRega tujh ko ke juuya4 tha ye bashar5
1.if 2.face to face 3.day of judgement 4.seeker 5.human
If you (O god) exist and I am presented before you on the day of judgement, then you will have to admit that this was a man who searched for knowledge/truth.
raushan1 ho tujh pe justaju2 paiham3 meri agar4
kah dega tu bhi ziddi5 o munkir6 tha ye magar7
1.known 2.search 3.again and again 4.if 5.obstinate 6.denier 7.but
(When I am presented before you and) you become aware of how I constantly/repeatedly searched (for answers), you will say, ‘he was obstinate and denied (my existence) but ….’
andha yaqeen1 virse2 meN hargiz3 na tha qubool4
tahqiq5 o fikr6 o hujjat7 o mantaq8 ka tha usool9
1.blind belief 2.inheritance 3.under no conditions 4.acceptable 5.inquiry, search 6.reasoning, thinking 7.discussion, argument 8.logic 9.principles
‘… but he did not accept inherited blind belief under any conditions. His principle was to search, reason, discuss and used logic’.
pahuNcha jahaaN jahaaN bhi use zahn1 le gaya
zann2 o qiyaas3 o shak4 na yaqiN5 meN badal gaya
1.mind, reason 2.supposition, conjecture 3.guess, suspicion 4.doubt, uncertainty 5.certainty, belief
‘He went as fas as reason could take him, but he did not change his conjectures, suspicions and uncertainty into belief’.
parda1 gira jo ilm2 o fahm3 par Ghubaar4 ka
uTThe savaal jin ka na koii javaab tha
1.curtain, obscurity 2.knowledge 3.understanding 4.dust, fog, confusion
When a curtain of fog/confusion dropped on knowledge and understanding, a host of questions arose to which there were no clear answers.
na-poKhtagi1 ko ilm2 ki vaqti3 hi jaan kar
aage qadam4 baRhaaya vo parde ko phaaR kar
1.immaturity, incompleteness 2.knowledge 3.time bound, temporary 4.steps
Knowing that immaturity/incompleteness of knowledge were temporary (could be overcome by learning), he ripped the curtain (of ignorance/confusion) and took a few steps forward.
himmat-e-kufr1 bhi thi, jur’at-e-inkaar2 bhi thi
sirr-e-nihaan3-e ishq4 ki us ko talaash5 bhi thi
1.courage to deny 2.daring to refuse 3.hidden secret 4.(universal) love 5.search
He had the courage to deny, dared to refuse and still searched for the hidden secret of universal love. This she’r has echoes of and pays a tribute to faiz ahmed faiz. See his ‘dua’.
aamaal1-e nek2 o bad3 the vahi4 jo subhi ke haiN
aashiq5 talaash6 ka tha vo, ye sub yaqiN7 ke haiN
1.actions 2.virtue 3.vice 4.same 5.lover 6.search 7.belief
His actions, virtues and vices, were similar to those of others, except he was a lover of search, others of (blind) belief.
mu’amma1 ye shak2 o haq3 ka to suljha4 na kabhi hai
haq5 ki talaash6 Khud7 baney manzil8, yahi haq9 hai
1.puzzle 2.doubt, skepticism 3.truth, certainty, belief 4.solved 5.truth, god 6.search 7.itself 8.destination, goal 9.right
The puzzle of the struggle between skepticism and belief can never be solved. It is right that the search for truth itself become the goal/destination.
justaju1 aur bhi hai, imtehaaN2 aur bhi haiN
sitaarauN ke aage jahaaN3 aur bhi haiN
1.search 2.trials 3.worlds
This she’r is taken from iqbal and is used as a tribute to him. There is still much search remaining, there are many more trials and tribulations ahead. But there are many worlds beyond the stars.
Key Search Words: resistance, hypocrisy, rational, rationalism, secular, skepticism, belief
